Method of waterproofing piles



Patented June 9, 1931 I isoassa AUGUST n'sonucb'rli', or non'rnnorao;MASSACHUSETTS 1 I METHOD or wnrnnrnoorme {FILES No Drawing.

My invention refers to concrete piling, or plain, or re-enforcedconcrete structures,

which are waterproofed and rendered stronger and more durable byimpregnating 5 the same with asphalt or bituminous material. I am awarethat concrete piling has been manufactured by impregnating the sur face,or the entire mass, with asphalt, by saturation but all these processesso far as I am aware require the immersion ofthe pile 1n the asphalt,either partially or completely.

This necessitates the handling v andmoving of the pile, which is alwaysa costly operation. Under the present method, the pile I can be given asuperficial coating of asphalt,

which penetrates the desired distance into the concrete, and'during theoperation the pile does not have to be immersed, lifted, or

handled.

By my method I treat the pile superficially with an exceedingly hotasphalt of any desired penetration. This is done by applying to onesurface of the pile an asphalt which can be applied either hotor cold,and then applying intense heat thereto, the heating being carried toa'degree abovethe flash point of the asphalt. The asphalt is thusliquefied so that it readily enters the pores and at the same time, dueto the high tem-' perature employed, the concrete is dried out both bythe heating medium and the highly heated asphalt. I

The intense heat, as will be seen, serves a double purpose, itevaporates the water in the concrete and heats the latter, and as soonas the pores andvoids are cleared of moisture, the intenselyheated andtherefore very liquid asphalt enters the pores and efiectually' sealsthem, leaving a continuous bituminous surface on the outside. It isobvious that the depth of impregn'ationf'can be controlled by the lengthof heating and the amount of asphalt applied. From onequarter toone-half inch'is usually sufiicient,

4 but two and three inches can be easily achieved or even completesaturation is possible.

To practice my invention, I form a pile,

plain orre-enforced in the usual way and allowit to cure until a desiredstrength is Application 'filed March 7, 1928. Serial No. 258,930.

secured. I then either .paintor sprinkle this surface Ywith asphalt, andapply to such treated surface an intense heat. This can be done, eithera direct flame, by superheated steam, superheated air, hot iron 5smoothers, or any desired source of heat. As soon as the heat isapplied, it will be noticed that the moisture forms steam bubbles in theasphalt surface, and that continued heating allows the steam to escapethrough the thin very hot film of asphalt which is so liquid that entersall the-small voids and crevices, and saturates and impregnates theconcrete structure. This process can be con T 'tinued until desiredpenetration is achieved.

The outside coating can be thickened, if v I of momentary duration,hottest immediately Z5 at the application of the hot material, andcoolingrapidly. Such heat evaporatesthe V moisture of the concrete andforms bubbles or thin layers of moisture below the asphalt, or rather atthe plane of contact of the; asphalt and the concrete with no means ofescape.- Such layer can be peeled off as soon as it is cool for it doesnot adhere to the concrete on account of that film of moisture. If,however,v as in my process, the surface is' firstgcoated with an asphaltand intense heat is applied, the asphalt is heated to near or above itsflash point, and

the concrete below itis heated, causing the v ed step by step or portionby portion, until the entire surface has been treated.

What is claimed is: A method of Waterproofing and strength- 5 eningconcrete pile by first applying heat to the concrete, evaporating themoisture locally and at the surface applying an asphalt, subjecting saidasphalt superficially to an intense heat until it penetrates to the 10desired depth applying more asphalt and continuing the process until adesired penetration has been achieved and proceeding thus. from spot tospot until the entire surface has been covered. In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification. I AUGUST E. SYOHUTTE.

